The Wiz (film)
The Wiz is a 1978 feature film released by Universal Pictures and based on the Broadway show of the same name. It starred Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsy Russel, and Ted Ross. The Wiz is the Black interpratation of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The film is about Dorothy, a 22-year-old kindergarten teacher who has no friends and is very shy. Probably the only friend she has is her dog Toto. After Thanksgiving dinner, Toto runs out the door and Dorothy chases after him. There is a huge blizzard (The work of the Good Witch Of the South) that sweeps her and Toto away, far away into Munchkin Land. Munchkin Land is the invisible part of Oz. Dorothy crashes into a huge "O" of a big Oz sign which makes it fall and crush Evamene the Wicked Witch of the East. This awakens the Munchkins, who were pasted onto the wall as punishment from the Wicked Witch of the East. They rejoice and then Miss One (a.k.a The Good Witch of the North) arrives. Dorothy is happy also, but at the same time she is scared and wants to go home. With advice from the Munchkins and Miss One, they tell Dorothy to go visit The Wiz. (He'sThe Wiz!) He will help her with all her problems. Miss One says that the only way she will meet him is if she follows the Yellow Brick Road. She starts to look for it and on the way, she sees a Scarecrow, who gets tormented by a group of Crows (You Can't Win). Dorothy scares them off and saves the Scarecrow. In return he goes with Dorothy on her trek to see the Wiz for a brain. They both try to find the Yellow Brick Road and they do! (Ease On Down the Road). Soon they meet the Tin Man who is a rusted amusement park mechanical man (Slide Some Oil to Me) who wants to gain a heart and The Lion who was banished from the jungle and hid inside one of the stone lions infront of a building resembling the New York Public Library (I'm a mean ole lion) and wishes for some courage. They run into many obstacles along the way like the Poppy Girls who put Dorothy and The Lion to sleep, but awaken by the Tinman's tears. Then they finally arrive at the Emerald City and see the Wiz. The Head of the Wiz tell Dorothy to kill Evillene (the Wicked Witch of the West) who runs a sweatshop in the sewers of Oz and keeps The Winkies as her slaves and workers (No Bad News) . She figures out that Dorothy and her friends are coming to kill her and sends out her Flying Monkeys (a motorcycle gang) to kidnap them. After the friends are captured, Evilene dismembers the Scarecrow, flattens the Tinman, and hangs the Lion by his tail trying to make dorothy give up the slippers. When she threatens to burn Toto, Dorothy nearly gives the slippers up until the Scarecrow hints her to a fire sprinkler switch. Dorothy pulls the lever activating the sprinkler system which melts Evilene (who is allergic to water). The Winkies help Dorothy's friends and celebrate the witch's death (Everyone Rejoice). They return to the Emerald City only to discover the Wiz is a fake, but soon realize that they dont need his magic to get their wishes because everything they need was in them all along. (Believe in Yourself). Just as it seems that Dorothy will never get home, Glinda appears and encourages her by telling her home is where the heart is(Believe in Yourself Reprise) and to find her way home is clicking her heels three times. After saying goodbye to all her friends she takes Toto in her arms thinks of home and the things she loves about it, then once she clicks her heels she finds herself back in her neighborhood. Cast *Diana Ross as Dorothy *Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow *Nipsey Russell as the Tin Woodman *Ted Ross as the Cowardly Lion *Thelma Carpenter as Miss One *Lena Horne as Glinda *Mabel King as the Wicked Witch of the West *Richard Pryor as The Wiz 61104310_thewiz_800x445-thumb-800x445-1809.jpg AP771004093.jpg the-wiz_l.jpg thewiz.jpg The-Wiz-michael-jackson-26745068-500-385.jpg The-Wiz-Evilene 400.jpg Wiz - meet wiz.jpg Wiz the 1978 685x385.jpg Tumblr m8q1d6H4RM1rdbumco1 1280.jpg 1136953413 s-wiz 0041-1.jpg Tumblr l6n81u2btH1qav8ifo1 500.jpg The+Wiz+1978.JPG wiz-diana-ross-michael-jackson.jpg slidesomeoil2.jpg|The Tinman rejoice_prechange1.jpg|Dorothy and her friends celebrate over the witch's death with the Winkies scarecrow_coney_a.jpg|The Scarecrow ross_toto_pub.jpg|Dorothy and Toto subway.jpg|The travelers in the subway scarecrow_close.jpg lion_monkeychase.jpg|The Lion Wiz Category:Live Category:Musicals